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Following the IPL clash with the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in which he rolled back the years with a blazing innings, raising visions of an improbable win for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), former India opener Aakash Chopra came out in wholesome praise of wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik.
A fighting half-century by Karthik and an explosive powerplay partnership between skipper Faf Du Plessis and Virat Kohli went in vain as RCB could not chase the 288-run target set by SRH, restricted to 262/7 in their run-chase at Bengaluru in IPL 2024 on Monday. The right-hand battetr played a marvellous innings of 83 runs off just 35 balls which was laced with seven maximums and five boundaries in his innings. He scored runs at a strike rate of 237.14. "Who said this tournament is only for the young? We saw a century from Kohli's bat, Rohit's bat, and saw Dhoni score 20 runs in four balls. DK has been hitting and doing it exceptionally. He already has two half-centuries, with the first one against Mumbai and the second one coming tonight," Chopra said on Jio Cinema. The former cricketer further said that Karthik is batting really well in the ongoing season of the IPL. "It was improbable that he'd successfully chase the target down, but the shots would leave you stunned if you saw them. He's batting really well, and something does happen to him in a World Cup year... Right now, he's in a happy space where he's at least scoring runs. Ultimately, you want to win the trophy and matches, but you can't win matches alone. At least, he's winning hearts," the commentator added. Coming to the match, after putting SRH to bat, Travis Head (102) and Heinrich Klaasen's (67) blitz powered the visitors to 287/3. In reply, Kohli (42) and du Plessis (62) provided the ideal start but wickets falling consistently impeded their chase. Dinesh Karthik starred with the bat yet again with a sensational knock of 83. Yet it wasn't enough to take his team across the finish line. (ANI)
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